TABLE 3—
Differences in Mental and Physical Health Status, Alcohol and Drug Use by Deployment Operation: United States, 2008–2009
| Iraq (OIF; n = 401), Mean (SD) | Afghanistan (OEF; n = 181), Mean (SD) | t | P | |
| Mental/physical health | ||||
| PTSS (PTSD checklist) | 31.69 (14.28) | 30.54 (13.70) | 0.89 | ≤ .371 |
| Depression/functioning (BASIS-24)a | 1.01 (0.84) | 0.82 (0.74) | 2.72 | ≤ .007 |
| Interpersonal relations (BASIS-24)a | 1.21 (0.80) | 1.07 (0.74) | 1.93 | ≤ .054 |
| Emotional lability (BASIS-24)a | 1.57 (1.00) | 1.42 (0.96) | 1.68 | ≤ .093 |
| Psychotic symptoms (BASIS-24)a | 0.54 (0.76) | 0.60 (0.93) | −0.70 | ≤ .484 |
| BASIS-24 overall scorea | 1.07 (0.69) | 0.93 (0.67) | 2.37 | ≤ .018 |
| MCS (VR-12 mental health)b | 40.69 (8.05) | 40.24 (7.82) | 0.63 | ≤ .529 |
| PCS (VR-12 physical health)b | 49.40 (9.74) | 49.76 (9.63) | −0.41 | ≤ .683 |
| Alcohol/drug use | ||||
| Alcohol use (AUDIT-C)c | 4.17 (3.07) | 3.51 (2.21) | 2.97 | ≤ .003 |
| Substance abuse (BASIS-24) a | 0.53 (0.74) | 0.30 (0.53) | 4.25 | ≤ .001 |
| Drug Use (DAST)d | 0.42 (0.88) | 0.35 (0.63) | 1.07 | ≤ .286 |
Note. AUDIT-C = Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; BASIS-24 = Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale; DAST = Drug Abuse Screening Test; MCS = Mental Component Score; OEF/OIF = Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom; PCS = Physical Component Score; PTSD = posttraumatic stress disorder; PTSS = posttraumatic stress symptoms; VR-12 = Veterans Rand-12.
BASIS-24 scores range from 0–4; higher scores indicate greater symptom or problem severity or frequency.
MCS and PCS mean (SD) = 50 (10). Their ranges are unbounded. Higher scores indicate better mental health.
AUDIT-C scores range from 0–12; higher scores indicate greater risk of alcohol abuse.
DAST-10 scores range from 0–10; higher scores indicate greater risk of drug abuse.